Unloading apparatus for railway cars



May 17 1927.

F. G. MITCHELL UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 2l, 1926 Kvm l 1,628,732 May 17 1927 F. G. MITCHELL UNLOADING APPARATUS RoR RAILWAY cARs Filed Oct. 2l. 1926 5 sheets-sheet 2 F. G. MITCHELL- UNLQADING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS May 17, 1927. 1,628,732

Filed 061. 2l. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 17l 1927. May F. G. MITCHELL 'UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Oct. 2L 192.6 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. G. MITCHELL UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed @Ctv 21, 1,925. 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 17, 1927.

uname stares #ontnemen oiLBER'r maior-Inti., or tonton, ENGLAND.

'autonomo AFPARATUS ron RAILWAY cans.

madman neu chater e1, was, serial no.

The object of the present invention is to enable loose bulk material to be discharged from railwaycurs or wagons having restricted side doorway space, in a simple and effective mannter, also `to provide reliable means for thatpurpose. i i

According to the invention, the contents of `a vehicle or car are discharged through an opened side doorway by tilting the same "alternately `about aires whichI are inclined to one another and tortlie longitudinal axis of the vehicle, sothat there results a tipping movement which may be referred to as coi'- nerwise.

ll y Tlietip ing movement ol the car may convenient y, though *not necessarily, lle due to a lift.

The aipparatushemployd may comprise a f atform, "obliquely `arritrrgecl and separable arih s whereby the platform is normally carri by a support which may be stationary or vertically movable, according to the kinclo car disohargig apparatus to which the invention is appliedV `and means whereby the platform and a car thereon can be lifted and tiltdyabout one set of tlie bearings Whilst the other bearin parts are tempplratil disengaged, one ti ting movement ing ollowed, aifter restoration' of the car to normal position, by another tiltirl movement'o a similar character about a lierent WMS `The invention can lle variously tarried into effect, as will he "et'ideht from the description hereinafter givenwith the aid of the accompanying drawings, in whioh Fig. 1

is a side elevation ofa c'ar tippler embodying` the improvements, tHe cai' being shown broken away.` Fig. 2 is a plan thereof and Fig. 3 an end view, undeiground parte being rendered ivisible b takin a section on the line III-H101 yig; 2; ig. 4 shows more or less diagrammatically `in side elevation, a

tippler Hoist embodying the invehtioni Fig.

5 shows'in side' elevation, the upper part of such wagon tippler hoist to a larget scale" and with parts not shown in Figi.` 4. Figis.

6 and 7 are planviews of the ti pler hoist corresponding to `the pla-nes --VI and VII-VII respectively of Fi 5. Figs. 8

an` 9` are views of rightang s to one an- 0131191559111, @913ML L` ws* .la and assum ing that .the cara unloaded are of the type havingA ahsiJi door midway W of their ands, such as the` foon/or (ed wagon 1 with door 143,246, and in Great Britain A151211 ze, 1925.

2, then a. symmetrical arrangement can be cuiployed comprising a platform 3 equipped with rails 4 to enable the car to be run tl'iercon, and with car holding,r means such as side chucks 5 and, if desired, end checks 6. These checks muy be operated automatically in ahyknown or suitable way but are shown as carried by` a framework 7 ivoted to the `ilatform at 8, movement of t e framework icing controlled by worms 9 upon shafts 10 geared through bevel wheels 11, 12 to an operating shaft 13, all carried by the framework 7. The worms 9 co-actwith stationary toothed quadrants 14 so that the arrangement is sel-f locking. The end chocks 6 are (see liiigfs.` 8 and 9) advanced towards the car and retracted by screws 15 each workingrr iu a nut 15L that is prevented lrom moving axially in the framework 7 and is adapted to be stepped around in either direction at will, bymeans of a hand lever 16 and hand controlled clutch. The clutch shown` comprises a bar 16d normally held in its raised position against the lever 16 by a spring 16b but adapted to be forced downward by a trigger lever 16"4 so as to cause it to engage one or other of a series of notches 15b in the nut 15a when the latter is to be rotated in one direction or the other.

The underside of the platform 3 is fitted withtwo shafts 17 which occupy positions coincident with axes which more or less correspond to diagonals of the two halves of the platform 3 and .intersect near the position of the car door opening when the car is in pro er position for being tipped, as will be `rea ily understood from Fig. 2. To receive these shafts 17 cup or open topped bearing pedestals 18 are employed carried in this case by a stationary support formed by the masonry 18a whilst to elevate the platform 3 above either sha-ft 17, corresponding rams 19 are employed. Each ram, whichv has a cupped upper end 20 in loose engagement with an abutment 21 on the platform 3, may be raised in any known way, as by a flexible connection 22 and system of pulleys or sheaves 23 under the control of say a winch 24 which may be motor driven, preferably by an electrical motor 24.`

The arra ement is such that if the ram 19 to one si 'e of the transverse centre line of thejplatform 3 be raised to tilt the platform 3 about the axis of the shaft 17 at the opposite side` of the said centre line, the material at the end 0f the car adjacent to such shaft will remain quiescent whilst discharge is taking place from the remaining portion of the car through the side door opening at 2. When this no longer occurs, the platform 3 is lowered and tilted by the other ram 19 about the axis ot-the opposite are iiixed `guides such that witli'the aid of rollers '30 onfthecradle, tlielatter is given a lateral displacement as it nears its uppermostfposition; VThe bearing pedestals 18 'for thesliafts 17 on the platform 3, referred to in describing theprevioiis example, are

4in this ease carried by the cradle 25, and the platform -3 can loe tilted in the wayrequired by any suitable meansysuch as by, one or other ot two depending ropes 3l, such ropes -loeing'v each' fixed tothe platform at a suit- .able tiltingpoint 3 and being` led to two overhead Winch drums32. VThese drums 32 are driven, as through gearing` 83 from the shatt 34 oi the winch drums 2S, the arrangement being such that the two pairs ot ropes 26 and 'Si can he wound up and iinwound at thesame speed. To enable each tilting rope tobe pulled upward intiirn to tilt the plattorniV Blandcar l about the axis of the corresponding diao'onally arranged shaft 17, 'after Athe cradle2zik has been raised to the position shown in dotted lines in 4, for discharging@r thecar, there is associated with each et such ropes, a carriage 35 mounted to run-on a diagonal track 3G. The carriage is provided. with a rope sheave 37, arranged injthe saine vertical plane as the corresponding tilting` rope 31, and is connected to a rope 38 that is led around suitable. ,guide pulleys 39 to awinch drinn L10.

il and 42 are two guide sheaves journalled` in the superstructure A and arranged in the .saine plane as the corresi'ionding tilting rope 3l. `vThe arran'g'en'ient` is suoli that bydoperating either winch driiin40, the corresponding carriage 3 5 willhe Vpulled 'along its track 36 andl its-sheave caused to engage the corres'ionding tilting' Lrope 3l at a part thereof hetiifeen,theuguidesheaves 4l and 42 and ".aorni it intoa loop 3a,'=as shown in dotted Vlines in l,"s o' asthereby to raise and tiltth-eplaticorni 3 about the axis of the corresponding sliat't 17 'and tilt thecar as and for vthe purpose herei'nliefore explained.- ,.lhat I .claimlis`:- 'i 1 y w41. Anfapparatus `forfgunloading railway carsfcomprising incombina-tioii, a' platform on which a ear is carried. a support tor ,said platform, disengageable bearings arranged between said platform and said support :it angles oblique to the axis of the lorincr and means whereby said platform with the car thereon muy he hoisted al' either cud sclertivelv to tilt about the axir'ry ol one of sai/l l'ieariiipjr in rel te from the other.

2, Au apparatus for unloading railway ,g comprisingr in combination. a plal ,Vorm on which :i car is carried. a support for said platform, diseminar-able pivotal connections arranged hetii'een said platform and Isaid support at opposite sides of the transverse center line of the platform on lineey oi iiliiup; axes.convergingY toward one side oip the platform; and means ior elevatingr said platform with the car thereon f rom either cud sidec tively so as to tilt the same upon thc pivotal connections on one tilting' axis while discngag-ing fromthe connections on'the other tilting axis.

3. An apparatus for unloadinuv railway lli,

Vcars coi'nprising in combination. a platform on which a ear is carried, :iy support for said platform, separable hearingr means arrangi'ed between .said platform and said suiiiiort on lines oi diiiereiit tilting' axes oblique to the longitudinal axis ot thc platform and con verging toward one another at one side thereof, and means for raisingr said iilatforiu with a car thereon from either endl sclectively so as to tilt the same upon the hea ring means ot one tilting? axis while diseiigjan'intr from the hearingr means of the other tilting axis.

4. An apparatus tor unloading railway cars (,omprising` in combination a platform on` which a car is carried, a support lfor said platform, disenajatealile pivotal means arranged between .s id platform and said support` along? lines of ilii'llcrcnt tiltingr axes couvergine` ohliquoly ofthe plai form axis from oppositesides ot the transverse couter line of the platform toward :i longitudinal odge thereof so that each ot said axes is suhstantially diagonal `to the length 4oi lhc plat 'orm. said pivotal meansl each comprisinn` :i shaft' carried hy the platform and receptive hearinii elements carried hv said support in which said shaft normally rests and means for elevatingl the platform with a car thereon from either end solectivclv to iilt on the pivotal means oi either tiltincr axis in release from the pivotal moans of thc other tilting axis. V

5. An apparatus for unloading railway cars comprising Ain comhination. a platform on which a car is carried` a supportA l'or said platforn'i. and separable pivotal moans disposed hetwcen said platform :infl .said support on lines at oppositesidcs of the trans verse center of the platform ou which the latter may alternately fulcrum in tilting` movement, said"elen'ients'each compriffing a Shaft `carriedby the plattform and receptive bearing members caraied by said support within which the shaft may normally west, uraid shafts with companion bearing members of the pivotal means being arranged with their axes oblique to `the platfonm and converging toward the disch-artritisr `side thereof, together with l'neans whereby the platform with a car `thereon `may be lilfted ,and tilted about thealxisrof either' shaift as a center for the purposedescmibed.

6. Car discharging apparatus comprising l:amplataiorm adapted *to carry a oar, `a vertij` ly movable support `dor said platform, idiagonally arranged pivotal connections betwwnfswidfplanfonml lainttaupport at opposite sides of the transverse centre line of said platform, a stationary superstructure, means whereby said support and platform can be raised and lowered in said superstructure and means whereby said platform with a car thereon can be lifted and tilted about the axis of either of said pivotal connections at will.

7. Car discharging apparatus comprising;r a platform adapted to carry a car, a vertii cally movable support for said platform, di-

agonally arranged pivotal connections between said platform and support at opposite sides of the transverse centre line of said platform, a stationary superstructure, hoisting and lowering` ropes extending under said movable support and anchored at one end to said superstructure, winding mechanism carried by said superstructure and connected to the other ends of said ropes whereby said ropes can be wound up and unwound to raise and lower sald support and platform and means whereby the platform can be lifted and tilted about the axis of either of said pivotal connections at will.

8. Car discharging apparatuscomprising a platform adapted to carry a car, a vertically movable support for said platform, diagonally arranged pivotal connections between said `ilatform and support at opposite sides o the transverse centre line of said platform, a stationary superstructure, hoisting and loweringr ropes extendlng under said movable support and anchored at one end to said superstructure, winding mechanism carried by said superstructure and connected to the other ends of said ropes whereby said ropes can be wound up and unwound to raise and lower sald Support and platform, independent liftlng and tilting ropes connected to said platform and means whereby either of said lifting and tilting ropes can be raised independently of the hoisting and lowering ropes, and sald platform thereby lifted and tilted about the axis of either of said pivotal connectlons.

9. Car discharging.;r apparatus comprising a platform adapted to carry a car, a vertically `movable support for said platform, diagomlllryY arranged `pivotal connections `laetvveen said platform and support at opposite sides of the transverse centre line of `said platform, a stationary sl-xperstructure. hoistingand .lowering ropes extenffling under said movable support and anchoreil at one end to said superstructure. winding mechanism carried `by said superstructure and emr `Hearted to the other-ends of said ropes where'- hgy said ropes can be wound up and unwrnrnd to raise and lower said support and plat`- form, independent lifting and tilting ropes connected to said platform, winding mechan `iaisrn connected to said liftingr and tilting ropes and geared to the aforesaid winding mechanism so that the hoisting and lowering ropes and the lifting and tilting ropes can be wound up or unwound simultaneously and to an equal extent and means whereby cach lifting and tilting rope can separately' be pulled upward independently of its winding mechanism and the platform and a car thereon thereby lifted and tilted about the axis of one of said pivotal connections.

1h. Car dischargingr apparatus comprisingr a platform adapted to carry a car, a vertically movable support for said platform, diagonally arranged pivotal connections between said platform and support at opposite sides of the transverse centre line of said platform, a stationary superstructure, hoisting and lowering ropes extending under said movable support and anchored at one end to said superstructure, winding mechanism carried by said superstrnctureand connected to the other ends of said ropes whereby said ropes can be wound up and unwound to raise and lower said support and platform, independent lifting and tilting ropes connected to said platform, windingsr mechanism connected to said lifting and tilting ropes and geared to the aforesaid winding mechanism so that the hoisting and lowering ropes and the liftingi and tilting ropes can be wound up or uuwound simultaneously and to an equal extent and means whereby each lifting and tilting rope can separately be pulled upward independently of its winding mechanism and the platform and a car thereon thereby lifted and tilted about the axis of one of said pivotal connections, said means comprising for each lifting and tiltingrope, a pair of vertically arranged guide sheaves adjacent to thc rope, a carriage, a vertical sheave mounted in said carriage and in the the same plane as the pair of sheaves and the rope and means for moving' said carriage endways to cause its sheave to engage the rope between the pair of guide sheaves and form it into a loop, substantially as described.

11. An apparatus for unloading railway ears comprising in combination, :t platform on which :Leur isearried, a Support for seid platform,V separable pivot anclbearlng members arranofed 011 lines of tiltlnv axes obli( ue .to the vplatform at oppositeV Sides o the transverse centerline thereof between said platform und saicl-supporhvmeans whereby vthe platforn'i with a, ear thereon muy be lifted und tilted. about 'the axis .of either of said pivot members selectively` und means for holdmge ,car on Said platform aga-inst .movement in siclewise and enilwiee `clireetions.V e

. 12. A11 apparatus for unloading railway oars comprising in combination, fr trite-ble platform onto Which a car isrrun and sev cured, Shafts 'arrietl by Suid platform ut and ear thereon. und menne` for elevating 25 the platform from either end Selci-,tively so as to tilt about the axis of either of Suhl shafts.

Signed nt l nml Q Grneeehureh Street, in

the city of London, Eng'lum'l, this eig'lxh day 30 of October, 1926.

FREDERICK GILBERT MITCHELL 

